Fruits and Vegetables That Are Low in Vitamin K

Stacey Phillips

About the Author:

Stacey Phillips

Stacey Phillips is a registered dietitian and nutrition writer. She has had articles and patient information handouts published in the "Renal Nutrition Forum" and the "Journal of Renal Nutrition." She holds a Bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana and a Masters degree at Central Michigan University.

Your body needs vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin, to support bone health and blood clotting. This vitamin is made naturally in small amounts in your body by bacteria found in your gastrointestinal tract. Vitamin K is also found in many of the foods you eat, such as leafy greens, eggs, nutritional supplements and some cereals. If you are on a blood-thinning medication, your doctor will recommend that you limit your intake of foods that contain vitamin K.

sliced watermelon
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Daily Vitamin K

woman taking a bite of a pear
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The recommended dietary allowance for vitamin K varies, depending on your age and sex, as well as on certain health conditions, such as pregnancy or illness. Deficiency is rare and occurs only if your body is unable to absorb vitamin K. Children between 14 and 18 should consume 75 micrograms of vitamin K daily, while adults 19 and older need 90 micrograms per day.

Fruits to Select

sliced cantaloupe
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There are many fruits that you can include in your diet to help you get your daily vitamin K, and most fruit is low in this nutrient. Good choices for low vitamin K include apples, bananas, cantaloupe, mango, oranges, peaches, pears, raspberries, strawberries and watermelon; one cup of each of these contains 10 micrograms or less of vitamin K. Grapes and blueberries contain 23 and 28 micrograms per cup, respectively, so if you like these fruits, eat a half-cup portion to reduce the amount of vitamin K per serving.

Vegetables to Choose

raw mushrooms
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Vegetables should also be included in your diet, but if you're trying to restrict your vitamin K intake, watch out for ones that are high in this nutrient. Corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, pumpkin and zucchini are all vegetables with 9 micrograms or less of vitamin K per cup. Carrots, cauliflower, green beans, lettuce, red and green peppers, and tomatoes have slightly higher amounts of vitamin K, ranging from 13 to 16 micrograms in a one-cup serving.

Watch Out for Some Veggies

raw brussel sprouts
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While many vegetables are low in vitamin K, some are not, so you need to be aware of the ones that have high amounts of the vitamin. For example, one cup of cooked spinach has 884 micrograms of vitamin K, and the same amount of cooked kale has 1,054 micrograms. Other vegetables that are high in vitamin K are Brussels sprouts, collard greens, parsley, mustard greens, Swiss chard and turnip greens.